Judge Rules Florida Department of Transportation Can Proceed With "The Fountain" Signature Bridge

A judge has ruled to allow the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to proceed with the winning design for Downtown Miami's proposed $802 million Signature Bridge. The winning design is known as "The Fountain" designed by Archer Western and The de Moya Group. In an April hearing, the State of Florida Division of Administration Hearing ruled in favor of FDOT after bridge advocate and former Miami City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff filed a lawsuit alleging that FDOT violated their 2013 settlement agreement via their handling of bids to design and build the bridge by manipulating scoring to allow the Archer Western and The de Moya Group's proposal to win. Another design by contractors Fluor, Astaldi and MCM, which finished in second, was allegedly the favorite design by community representatives. The court ruled that Fluor-Astaldi-MCM failed to prove that "The Fountain" was chosen due to corruption. The legal action delayed the groundbreaking which was supposed to commence in 2017 and be completed in 2022. The Signature Bridge is expected to cost $802 million with $626 million in funds provided via the State of Florida including state motor fuels tax, vehicle license fee, and documentary stamp collections; and $186 million being funded via MDX toll revenue bond proceeds. 

Melo Group Completes The Arquitectonica-Designed Aria on the Bay In Downtown Miami

Construction of Aria on the Bay, Melo Group’s new Arquitectonica-designed luxury condominium in Downtown Miami, is now complete with more than 90% of its 648 units already sold and under hard contract. The 53-story waterfront tower, located at 1770 N. Bayshore Drive along Biscayne Bay, becomes the latest condominium to deliver in Downtown’s growing Arts & Entertainment District. The news prompts the start of closings as residents take ownership of their units, begin interior build-outs, and prepare to move into the building over the coming days.

“When we broke ground on Aria on the Bay three years ago, we envisioned a tower that not only offered first-rate amenities in an ideal location but one whose design would convey elegance and sophistication. We are confident that Aria will take its place among Miami’s most iconic landmarks,” said Carlos Melo, principal of the Melo Group.

Units at Aria on the Bay range from 1 to 4 bedrooms and $400K to $6 million and sold around $550 per square foot. Residences feature floor-to-ceiling glass, expansive wrap-around terraces, private elevator access, open-plan living areas, designer finishes and fixtures, European-style kitchens, and modern custom-designed cabinetry. Amenities include a 14th floor resort amenity deck with 2 sunrise/sunset swimming pools, a jacuzzi, custom-seated fire pits, barbecue grills and outdoor summer kitchens, a private spa with massage treatment facilities, a state-of-the-art fitness center, yoga studio, entertainment lounge, and a screening room. 

“Two blocks north of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Aria on the Bay’s semi-circular balconies make reference to those inside the classic opera houses. They playfully stagger creating a series of cylinders in performance. The arrangement could also be interpreted as a musical score, or a series of curves dancing to a tune,” said Architect Bernardo Fort-Brescia, founding principal of Arquitectonica.
 
Aria on the Bay launched sales and construction in 2015 and became an instant favorite among international and domestic buyers in the market for spectacular design, panoramic water views and luxury amenities in a walkable, urban setting. Baseball superstar Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankee slugger who was recently named the National League’s Most Valuable Player, purchased one of Aria on the Bay’s triplex penthouses in 2017 and Grammy Award-winning record producer and rapper Timbaland also purchased two units at the building.
 
“Beyond its prime waterfront location, magnificent bay views, and high-quality design features, Aria on the Bay benefits from the expertise of one of Miami’s strongest developers,” said Alicia Cervera Lamadrid, managing partner of Cervera Real Estate, the project’s exclusive sales and marketing brokerage. “Melo Group’s success is the result of more than sixty years of experience in the real estate industry and the firm’s track record for uncovering and investing in emerging neighborhoods. We are proud to be a part of their achievements in the U.S. and know that their keen and efficient business sense will ensure they continue to develop in Miami for many more years to come.”

Since arriving in Miami from Argentina in 2001, Melo Group’s father-and-sons team, which is led by Jose Luis Melo and his two sons Carlos Melo and Martin Melo, has been a driving force behind Miami's real estate resurgence. Aria on the Bay marks the developer’s 14th residential tower delivered over the last decade and a half, with a total of more than 5,000 units completed and in development throughout the Greater Downtown Miami area. Melo Group is also building market-rate apartment buildings to meet the needs of young professionals looking to live within close proximity to Miami’s largest employment districts such as Brickell, Downtown’s CBD and the Health District. The firm’s next residential project, the 710-unit Square Station Apartments, will open to tenants this month as part of a larger three-phase development plan to bring nearly 2,000 transit-oriented rental units to Downtown Miami.

Remaining units currently available for sale include a range of one- to four-bedroom condos priced from the $400,000s up to $1.8 million.

G&G Business Developments & The Luxury Collection Celebrate A Fusion Of Art And Fashion At Aston Martin Residences

G&G Business Developments, the developers of Aston Martin Residences in Miami, and The Luxury Collection recently hosted an exclusive event showcasing a fusion of works by renowned Miami-based Argentine artist Griselda Lechini and Miami fashion designer Tammy Apostol of TA Couture. Over a hundred special guests gathered at the Aston Martin Residences sales gallery to view the showcased a fusion of artworks and fashion designs. Aston Martin Residences is located on the Downtown Miami waterfront where the mouth of the Miami River meets Biscayne Bay. The striking 66-story sailboat shaped tower will feature 391 luxury residences priced from the $700,000s to $8.5 million, with penthouses ranging from just over $14 million to $50 million. Construction is now underway and expected to be completed in 2021. 

Check out the newly revealed renderings of Aston Martin Residences amenity spaces

Photos via RodrigoGaya.com

Take A First Look Inside The Hyper-Luxe Aston Martin Residences Interior & Amenity Spaces

Following the groundbreaking of Aston Martin Residences, the luxury automaker's first-ever real estate project late last year (2017), the 66-story tower has now revealed never-seen-before renderings of the building’s interior and amenity spaces. Aston Martin’s design team, led by Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman, is bringing the unique experience of driving an Aston Martin to life by incorporating signature elements, colors and materials from the brand’s cars into the design of the tower’s interiors, common areas and amenity spaces. 
 
Reichman and his team have had a hand in every design decision made at the project, from the hand-stitched leather door tabs and bespoke artisan handles, to the grey and black carbon fiber lobby furniture and unit address number plate plinths. Buyers also have the option to work with the Aston Martin team to personally design individual condominiums if they choose.
 
“In this, our first residential development, the interiors are inspired by Aston Martin, but take into consideration Miami’s tropical environment. Our design language is based on beauty and the honesty and authenticity of materials. It’s simple and pure and it has an elegance attached to beautiful proportions. We are incorporating Aston Martin’s DNA through subtle details and fine craftsmanship, with an emphasis on comfort. This building is for people who appreciate the finest quality and craftsmanship, who love the feeling of something that is timeless," said Marek Reichman, Chief Creative Officer of Aston Martin. 

Located in Downtown on the Miami River, Aston Martin Residences will rise 66 stories and features 391 units, designed by Revuelta Architecture and Bodas Mian Anger. The tower's interiors will feature signature carbon fibre reception desks in each of the tower’s two private lobbies, lighting and handmade detail based on the car, and residence doors hand-adorned door numbers from the same jewelers that place the logo on the hood of Aston Martin cars along with bespoke artisan Aston Martin door handles, and kestral tan leather door tabs. The tower's design will features floor-to-ceiling glass with no visible concrete, including glass encased support beams.

Units range from 1 to 4 bedrooms with a 19,000 SF, 6 bedroom crown-jewel penthouse on the 63-65 floors. Pricing starts at $700,000 and range up to $8,800,000 for the "River and Panoramic Residences" part of the building and $14,000,000 to $50,000,000 for the "Penthouses." Amenities include a 42,275 SF “Sky Amenity” deck from the 52nd to 55th floor which features a state-of-the-art fitness center with spin room and boxing facilities, golf simulator, multiple theaters, beauty salon, barber shop and a curated art gallery.

Sales as of fall 2017 had passed over $100 million in deposits. Construction is now underway and Aston Martin Residences is expected to be completed in 2021. 

Check out PROFILEmiami's coverage of the October 2017 groundbreaking of Aston Martin Residences

Tour the lavish on-site sales gallery of Aston Martin Residences featuring an Aston Martin Vulcan

PMG's Downtown Luxury Rental X Miami Reveals Renderings Of Millennial Geared Amenities

X Miami, PMG's new 464-unit luxury rental building in Downtown Miami, has revealed their amenities. X Miami is part of PMG's portfolio of X Social Communities and offers a program charged social community designed to promote engagement between residents and a social environment. Amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center with spin studio, dog park, pool deck, outdoor cinema, cocktail bar, community kitchen, indoor screening lounge, self-serve mini-mart, co-working space, picnic courtyard, smart package lockers and social hall. 

X Miami offers rental residences ranging from studios starting around $1,600s to 2-bedrooms which can range up to $2,900. Residences feature keyless entry, white quartz countertops in the kitchen, Amazon Echos and smart thermostats. Move-ins are expected to start around July 1. 

A Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe Architects-Designed Tower Known As 2nd & 2nd Has Been Proposed in Downtown Miami

A subsidiary of AVR Realty has proposed 2nd & 2nd, an 898', 82-story Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe-designed mixed-use tower at 250 SE 2nd Ave. The tower would feature 266 hotel rooms, 637 residential units, 9,245 SF of retail, and 533 parking spaces. The location offers easy access to the Metromover, Brickell and I-95. 2nd & 2nd would replace the current Marriott Courtyard and Whole Foods. The proposal is set to be reviewed by Miami's Urban Development Review Board on April 18.

Okan Group's Behar Font-Designed Okan Tower Approved In Downtown Miami

Turkish developer Okan Group's 73-story, skyline evolving Behar Font & Partners-designed Okan Tower proposal has been approved by Miami's Planning & Zoning Department in Downtown Miami including waivers from the Miami 21 zoning code. Located at 555 North Miami Avenue, the multi-use project has also been called The Sterling, although the press release and renderings point to the tower being called Okan Tower. The Behar Font & Partners design is inspired by a tulip, the national flower of Turkey, and will feature a rooftop swimming pool at the crown of the 956' rise. Okan Tower will feature 300 hotel rooms, 80,000 SF of office space, 10,000 SF of restaurant space and 362 condominium units. The location will give easy access to retail, entertainment and transit via MiamiCentral and the Brightline as well as the Miami Worldcenter mega-project. Okan Group acquired the land for $18 million in March 2017 before proposing the Behar Font design in October 2017.

PARAMOUNT Miami Worldcenter Rolls Out Rooftop Skyport in Anticipation of Urban Aviation

PARAMOUNT Miami Worldcenter will house some of the finest, most advanced and most numerous amenities of any residential tower in the United States. Developer Dan Kodsi recent took the offering to the next level as thew world prepares for urban aviation. Kodsi is building a Skyport, located on the roof of the 60-story condo tower in anticipation of flying cars. The Skyport cant help but drum up memories of the Jetsons, the family of the future. 

Kodsi made modifications to the rooftop design of the tower in order to accommodate a 5,000 SF Skyport. He is preparing his state-of-the-art future-forward residential tower, which will top off construction this August, with the ability to convert its rooftop into a Skyport for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, also known as passenger drones, or what some may call “flying cars.”

“Imagine traveling from Miami to Palm Beach—a drive that takes the better part of two hours—in about 30 minutes. That stop-and-go traffic to the suburbs could become a burden of the past for PARAMOUNT residents,” said Kodsi.

Kodsi is not only a veteran developer, with a masters in urban planning and a 30-year career delivering more than 6,000 units, but he also has a background as a recreational pilot.

"The future of transportation is here within the next 10 to 15 years and urban aviation is closer to reality than you might expect. The flying vehicles will use airspace to alleviate transportation congestion and traffic on the ground for quicker daily commutes, and cleaner air around the world. These vehicles are more like a helicopter, but much quieter, run electronically and are environmentally friendly,” said developer Dan Kodsi. “PARAMOUNT Miami Worldcenter prides itself on its amenities and high-tech features. While the industry still has many regulatory hurdles to clear, we are excited to be at the forefront of urban aviation with what can one day be the first residential Skyport in Miami.”
 
Ever since UBER Elevate announced it would begin testing its urban air taxis in Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Dubai in 2020, a galactic style race erupted from tech, aircraft manufacturers and automakers both domestic and international to develop flying cars. Including the German developers of Volocopter and Lillium, Airbus’s Vahana, the Chinese developers of Ehang 184 and Terrafugia, Google’s Kitty Hawk Flyer and Workhorse Surefly. 

Check out the video below;

The Team Behind Segafredo Set To Launch Esotico Miami, A New Craft Cocktail Bar In The Heart of Miami's Arts + Entertainment District

Graspa Group, the team behind the Miami mainstays Segafredo, Salumeria 104 and Spris brands, is teaming up with a celebrity bartender on a new concept at CANVAS in the heart of Miami's Arts + Entertainment District. 

Dubbed “Esotico Miami,” the concept will be located in the ground floor at CANVAS, located at 1630 NE 1st Avenue. Esotico Miami will offer modern tropical cuisine and hand-crafted, exotic cocktails by internationally celebrated bartender Daniele Dalla Pola. It will also provide a home base for local musical talent, a cornerstone of the Arts + Entertainment District mission, featuring live music several nights a week. Esotico Miami will serve dinner and late-night cocktails with seating approximately 100.

“We’re delighted that Graspa has chosen the Arts + Entertainment District for its next venture,” said Nir Shoshani of NR Investments, the developer behind CANVAS and Filling Station Lofts. “This is the team that has made Segafredo one of the most beloved neighborhood cafés in Miami, and we’re confident that Esotico Miami will be equally magical, and become the de facto ‘living room’ for the Arts + Entertainment community. Graspa’s focus on good food and good people, combined with Daniele’s thoroughly original approach to cocktails, is a winning recipe.”

Graziano Sbroggio, founder of Graspa Group, and Dalla Pola launched Segafredo together in the 1990s. Dalla Pola honed his craft in Miami before returning to Italy to launch a restaurant and two successful cocktail establishments. He owns his own rum brand, Alamea and was nominated best bartender in the rum category at the International Rum Conference in Madrid, and one of the best bartenders in the world by Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.

“Daniele is a true artist, and every great artist needs a good manager behind him,” said Sbroggio. “He was the first to suggest the location at CANVAS and it didn’t take long to convince me. We see a lot of people moving into the Arts + Entertainment District. It has great connectivity to Downtown, Wynwood and Miami Beach and has a really strong community of local artists and entrepreneurs. We see this as the next great neighborhood in Miami.”

Alex Acker and Frank Rodriguez Melo of Cedano Realty Advisors represented the parties in the transaction to lock up the 2,700 SF space on the ground floor southeast corner of CANVAS. Esotico Miami is expected to open this fall (2018).     

Moishe Mana's Pedestrian Friendly Vision For Redeveloping Flagler Street Unveiled

Construction has been stopped on Downtown Miami's redevelopment of Flagler Street, a project which has seen over 7 years of planning, to discuss pivoting to a new plan proposed by Moishe Mana. Mana, one of Downtown Miami's major land holders, has proposed a new for the the transformation of Flagler Street. Mana is calling for a "curbless" street  with no raised sidewalks in addition to the removal of on-street parking. The changes would allow for a pedestrian friendly outdoor, high-street retail concept with outdoor restaurant seating and entertainment. The streets would also include lush landscaping and bollards for pedestrian safety. Changes to the original plan would cost Miami-Dade tax payers $6 million with funding coming from city, county, DDA and private investors but should the project get delayed county funding may be pulled. Construction is anticipated to take between 36-42 months.